Cal Raleigh Hits Home Run as Seattle Mariners Defeat Blue Jays in Long-Awaited Return to AL Championship Series
Cal Raleigh blasted a home run, Jorge Polanco delivered the winning run with a sixth frame single, and the Seattle Mariners overcame the Blue Jays 3-1 Sunday night as they returned to the AL Championship Series for the initial occasion in 24 years.
Pitching Mastery on Display
George Springer launched a homer on the first pitch from Miller, who then got out of a bases-threatening situation in a 27-pitch first inning. Anthony Santander singled in the second inning for the Blue Jays' sole additional hit, and Mariners pitchers set down 23 out of the final 24 Toronto hitters. The pitching quartet combined to throw just 100 pitches under two days after the Mariners needed 209 pitches to outlast Detroit over 15 frames.
Crucial Batting Moments
Raleigh, the major league home run leader with 60, evened the game in the sixth inning with his ninth home run in 14 games at the Toronto ballpark. Kevin Gausman had held batters to 0 for 16 on splitters in the postseason before the home run by Raleigh.
Polanco hit a go-ahead single later in the inning and contributed an run-scoring single in the eighth.
“We are a resilient squad, you know, from top to bottom,” Raleigh said. “Pitchers came out today, really, really impressed us. They did awesome. Particularly on short rest and how many pitches they threw the other day.”
Seattle, the AL West titleholder journeyed to AL East winner Toronto on Saturday after a 3-2 home victory over the Detroit Tigers to claim the Division Series in the longest winner-take-all game in Major League Baseball history.
Record Achievements
The Mariners, the only MLB team to not have hosted a Fall Classic game, limited Toronto to just two hits after the Blue Jays had 50 hits and 34 runs in their four-game playoff series against the New York Yankees. Miller, who earned the win, struck out three and walked three in six innings, throwing 72 pitches. The bullpen trio each had 1-2-3 innings, with Muñoz securing the save.
“This is going to be a hard-fought series, man,” Toronto manager John Schneider commented. “These guys will be ready for it.”
Springer’s 21st postseason home run broke a tie with the Yankees’ Derek Jeter, placing him alone in fifth position on the all-time list. Raleigh’s homer was his fourth in 15 at-bats against Kevin Gausman, who suffered the defeat.
Polanco, the hero of Friday's game, singled against Brendon Little to drive in Julio RodrĂguez, who was issued a walk by Gausman. Polanco later added another run-scoring hit against DomĂnguez.
Memorable Contest Moments
Eugenio Suárez doubled against the top of the right-field fence in the seventh inning against Louis Varland. The 395-foot drive would have been a home run in half of MLB stadiums, including Seattle.
Blue Jays outfielder Nathan Lukes left in the fourth inning. Lukes bruised his right knee when he fouled a ball into his knee in the first inning.